Soon-to-be Arlington High School senior Kailynn Gubbels holds her fair share of gold medals, school records and state marks after a headline-grabbing junior track and field season.
Now, though, she enters her final Eagles school year with, arguably, her largest athletic accomplishment to date. The three-sport athlete is Nebraska's Gatorade Girls Track & Field Player of the Year — AHS' first.
Gatorade announced the honor Friday, noting Gubbels' athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. The company's Player of the Year designations have been awarded annually since 1985 with Olympians and NFL players among the recipients.
Gubbels set state records in the 100-meter hurdles and high jump during the 2021 track and field season, claiming gold medals in both events during May's state meet. Her Class B championship time in the hurdles was 14.59 seconds, while her season-best high jump height — 5 feet, 10 inches — was the eighth-best in the country among prep competitors, according to a Gatorade release.
Gubbels, the daughter of Steven and Leslie Gubbels, also starred in volleyball and basketball during the 2020-21 AHS school year. She was second on the volleyball team with 195 kills, while notching a team-best 12.8 points per game in hoops.
The student-athlete maintains a 3.85 GPA and volunteers as a youth basketball and volleyball coach. She's donated time and effort through the Arlington National Honor Society as well.
With her Gatorade Player of the Year nod, Gubbels now has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing. In its history, the awarding company has distributed more than $2.7 million across 1,117 organizations in its history.
Lincoln East thrower Tyler Brown was awarded Nebraska's boys player of the year honor. The accomplished thrower had 2019's 16th-best discus attempt in the country.
